Intelligent retraction system avoids failures of industrial robots

• What was needed: triflex® R dresspack; triflex® RS universal module
• Requirements: A solution was needed to prevent the cable management system of an industrial robot from getting tangled up or caught.
• Industry: Robotics; Machine tools
• Success for the customer: A triflex® RS retraction module provides exactly as much cable length as required. This means that the cable routing is always tight without restricting the movement of the robot.

Estonian automation specialist Atemix Tööstusautomaatika OÜ focuses on factory automation, with particular expertise in Industry 4.0 solutions and robotic applications. For a new project, the company was tasked with automating the loading of a machining center using a FANUC industrial robot.

While the combination of machine tools and robotics is common in modern manufacturing, this application presented a unique challenge. The robot head was supplied with power and data through a long corrugated hose that could not be routed close to the robot arm. As a result, the hose frequently hung into the machine's working area during certain movements, disrupting the process and creating a risk of collisions. Reliable automated operation was therefore not possible with the existing cable management solution.

To prevent the dress pack from wrapping around the robot or becoming trapped within the machine during operation, the project team set out to find a more effective cable management solution. The key requirement was a system capable of automatically retracting the cable package as the robot arm moved inward and releasing it again during extension.

The solution was the triflex® RS retraction system. Installed on the FANUC robot, the system keeps the cable package under controlled tension throughout the robot's range of motion, allowing cables to be routed close to the robot without restricting movement. This significantly reduces the mechanical stress placed on the cables during fast, complex 3D movements.

As a result, the cable package remains clear of the machine's working area, eliminating the risk of snagging, interference, and premature wear. The improved cable routing has increased system reliability while reducing the risk of unplanned downtime and maintenance.